By SHIELA MAE BUTLIG
Correspondent
MISAMIS Oriental Vice Gov. Jeremy Jonahmar Pelaez has claimed that he gave provincial secretary Ernesto Sotto other tasks to keep him away from the sessions of the province’s legislature.
Sotto’s absence during the provincial board’s sessions sparked heated debates between members of the majority bloc who want to designate a temporary secretary and Pelaez.
Pelaez said Sotto’s absence is intentional -- the provincial secretary was given other work to keep him away from provincial board members.
“Ang mahitabo og mutunga sad siya, sigi nila’g awayaon. Unya, ikaduha, naa sad silay resolution nga persona non grata,” Pelaez said.
He said the resolution, in effect, bans Sotto, a lawyer, from attending sessions or from signing documents of the provincial board.
“Maka conduct man gihapon ta’g business (even without Sotto). Masugo man sad nako si Atty. Sotto sa laing trabaho,” Pelaez pointed out.
Provincial board member Dexter Yasay earlier threatened to file criminal and administrative charges against Pelaez, Sotto, and six others based on their continued absences.
Pelaez said he would welcome Yasay’s move “so that everybody can be enlightened kay naa man siya’y pagduda.”
Pelaez added: “Kung naa gani pagduda nimo ug wala kay lain venue to vent that anger or doubt, didto raman sa korte. He (Yasay) is entitled to that.”
He said he would stand his ground and not allow provincial board members to designate a temporary secretary, maintaining that it would encroach on his mandate as the administrative authority in the province’s legislature.
As for last week’s walkout by members of the majority, Pelaez said, “There will be no sanctions.”
“Ato ra man nang mga amigo. Ato ra gihapon nang storyahan,” he said.
